As CEO of Mahaska, Branden Muhl drives overall vision and strategy for the company. He is a fifth generation family owner of Mahaska (seventh generation overall), continuing more than a century of heritage in formulating, manufacturing, marketing, distributing, and most recently retailing food and beverage products. Muhl continues to expound upon business development efforts at Mahaska by building an independently owned brand portfolio, engaging in territorial expansion, entering the alcoholic beverage category, and the retail channel.

Prior to his current roles, Muhl spent eight years on Wall Street as an equity portfolio manager where he focused on consumer & healthcare equities. He continues his investment activities by way of B Group Capital, a long-short equity investment company that specializes in healthcare subsectors such as biotechnology, genetic sequencing, and molecular diagnostics as well as consumer sub sectors like Location-Based Entertainment (LBE), hospitality, and retail.

Currently, Muhl is involved in management of diverse business interests, serves on multiple Boards of Directors, and is involved in a number of organizations across various industries. These businesses and organizations include: B Group Capital, Greystone Hotel Miami, Independent Bottler’s Association (IBA), JOMAST, Museum of Ice Cream, and YPO (Dallas Chapter).

Muhl holds a Bachelor’s degree from The University of Michigan Stephen M. Ross School of Business where he graduated Summa Cum Laude

David Steinman joined Beer Marketer’s INSIGHTS September 2013 and represents the 3rd generation at the company along with his brother Jason. David worked for years as Senior Editor of Craft Brew News and Senior Editor across all Beer Marketer’s INSIGHTS publications before he was appointed VP/Executive Editor in 2022.

Prior to BMI, David worked for two years as Marketing Coordinator at Long Trail/Otter Creek Brewing Company in Vermont. He graduated from the University of Vermont with a major in Business and a minor in Music. In his spare time, David is an avid guitar player and snowboarder.

Jason Steinman joined BMI in March 2020 (no joke) and serves as a Senior Editor and the Director of Business Development at Beer Marketer’s Insights. In this role, he contributes to the editorial content of multiple publications while spearheading growth initiatives to help expand BMI’s reach and impact.

Before joining BMI, Jason honed his skills in brand marketing at PepsiCo North America Beverages for three years.

Jason graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. He currently lives in New York City with his wife, Cam, and their Aussiedoodle Ziggy.

Austin Bristow helps beverage distributors make sense of their data and turn it into clear, actionable insights. With over 15 years in the industry—including more than a decade with fairlife and the Coca-Cola system—he understands the challenges wholesalers face with reporting, operations, and staying efficient. Through his independent conultancy, Elevated BI, Austin helps distributors automate reporting, simplify data, and give teams the tools they need to make smarter, faster decisions. He’s also a TEDx speaker and experienced trainer who’s passionate about making data approachable for leaders at every level.